February 20, the NKR NA President Ashot Ghoulyan met with the Basque country representatives: the European Parliament (EP) former deputy Inaki Fernandez Irazabalbeitia, former member of Spain and the Basque Parliament, Rafa Larreina, the Basque Nationalist Party representative Jose Mari Etxebarria and member of the European Free Alliance Lorena Lopez de Lacalle.

The Speaker thanked them for accepting the invitation to observe in Artsakh and noted that every such event, be it a referendum or election, is a political test for the young state.

Expressing gratitude for the reception, Inaki Irzabalbeitia underlined that Artsakh and the Basque country share the same values especially peace and democracy.

"Here we have a real democracy and freedom of speech," said former European MP.

Presenting the impressions of her observations on the 14 polling stations, member of the Bureau of the European Free Alliance Lorena de Lacalle witnessed the functioning of democracy.

"There are elements of the democratic values that we are missing. I am especially delighted with Article 36 of the Constitution, which states that if a child is capable then obliged to take care of his parents. These are the noble values, which unfortunately, we have completely lost, " said Lorena Lopez.  

Jose Mari Etxebarria, representative of the Basque Nationalist Party , member of the Foreign Affairs Committee, who was in Artsakh for the first time, highlighted the importance of the experience gained in Karabakh is these days.

"Today I realized that no matter whether you have natural resources or not, rich or not, the important thing is the stability of the beliefs and values that you have. Despite all the deprivations and losses, you haven’t lost your identity and control your destiny. We are ready to help protect the right of self-determination," said Jose Mari Etxebarria.

Summing up the meeting, Ashot Ghoulyan assessed the perspectives of further cooperation with the Basque country.